


Link, Hero Of Legend

by T_5Seconds



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Gen, Unhappy Ending, set about 10000 years before botw, sorry folks this one is just sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:42:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25949791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_5Seconds/pseuds/T_5Seconds
Summary: When her son is born, the village whispers.He is the first gerudo male to be born in centuries, he is the demon king, he is Ganondorf.She names him Link.
Relationships: Ganondorf & Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 55





	Link, Hero Of Legend

**Author's Note:**

> Very loosely based on this:
> 
> https://www.surfacage.net/post/186163403924/one-last-breath-of-the-wild-or-a-tale-of-three

When her son is born, the village whispers.

He is the first gerudo male to be born in centuries, he is the demon king, he is Ganondorf.

She names him Link.

\---

As Link grows, he can't understand why everyone looks at him so strangely. Is it because of his birthmark of the triangles, only one filled in?

It must be, for that is all that differentiates him.

His mom never lets him out of the house alone.

\---

She teaches him sword fighting- sure, the triforce of power is on his hand, but he's her son. He cannot be the Calamity.

He _can't._

He picks up on swords quickly, but prefers two handed to one, jagged to smooth.

He beams when he wins a sparring match.

She worries for him.

\---

When Link, a young Hylian from Hateno, is twelve, he draws the Master Sword.

He is immediately introduced to Princess Zelda, also twelve.

They become fast friends.

He practices the Master Sword, she practices her powers.

\---

When Link is fourteen, he meets the princess and her best friend.

They're delighted to meet him, excited over his matching birthmark.

His and Link's matched names are the source of many jokes.

His mother smiles, but she looks worried.

\---

As Zelda gets older, she brings Link to visit their only other friend- Link- often.

They're close, but as signs of the calamity emerge, she begins to get a strange feeling about him.

One day, as the Links spar, her vision flares golden, and they're blasted apart.

She apologizes, but her power seems to have burnt the Gerudo severely.

They all worry, now.

\---

The Divine Beasts are completed, as are the guardians.

The Calamity draws ever nearer, and they are prepared, except-

Where is Ganon?

(Zelda stops telling her parents of visiting Link in the desert.)

\---

Link's eyes have been getting darker, recently.

His best friends tell him so.

They all worry, and his mom tells him of the Ganons of old.

He would never, he thinks, but as he looks in the mirror his eyes look almost red.

(He would never.)

(Right?)

\---

Zelda and her Links are all eighteen.

The gerudo spaces out for hours at a time, staring at the mark on his hand.

\---

Link disappears overnight.

His mother rushes to the castle to tell his friends- and fellow members of the triforce- and narrowly miss her house burning down.

Link's two-handed jagged blade is not recovered from the wreckage.

\---

A man calling himself "King Ganondorf" begins destroying villiages.

His eyes are black and red.

Zelda and Link weep at the news, and Link's mother is right there with them.

\---

When they fight, it is short.

Link refuses to attack what used to be his friend.

Zelda cannot bear to use her power for offense.

\---

Link is drowning.

It's so dark, it feels like he weighs a million pounds.

It feels like sinking through oil.

Link is drowning in darkness and it burns.

\---

Ganondorf's blade pierces Link's stomach, and he and Zelda scream as one.

\---

Link can hear the screams.

He has to keep swimming, he _has to..._

\---

Zelda blasts Ganon back with her power as she rushes to heal Link.

As he rises, badly burned, his eyes flicker to warm brown.

\---

He's barely making progress against the oil, but then golden light burns through it and he can _see._

\---

Link rushes over, his eyes a picture of horror.

They're all crying, now, as she finishes healing Link and he grabs the Master Sword.

There's a brief moment of peace.

\---

The red is crawling across his vision again.

\---

"Please, Zelda. Link. You have to..."

There's a pause, as dawning comprehension lights in his best friends eyes.

"You have to kill me."

\---

No, no, no.

He can't. Not his best friend.

They grew together, fought together, he can't.

\---

Zelda weeps, but she understands.

She wraps her hand around those of her companions.

"Zelda, I- I can't do this."

\---

The red is crawling across his vision.

"Please, Link..."

Zelda and Link plunge the sword into his gut together.

He wraps his arms around them.

Link is sobbing into his shoulder.

Zelda is crying silently, taking one last look at his face.

Link is glad that the last thing he'll see is them.

Although...

"Tell my mom I love her, okay?"

\---

\---

\---

It's been ten thousand years.

Link and Zelda walk the halls, but they're not the same.

Awareness slips in and out.

\---

His seal is broken, his body old.

"What's your name?"

Hah. That's funny. She sounds just like his Zelda.

"It's Link," he introduces himself. "I'm Link."


End file.
